SPANISH BAGPIPER EXTRAORDINAIRE – Cristina Pato, pictured here with her gaita, a Spanish bagpipe, will be performing a special concert with her band, The Migrations, this Wednesday, as part of the Hudson River Performing Arts Center’s winter UBS Atrium Series. The concert will be held at 12:30 p.m. at 1000 Harbor Blvd. (See brief for more information.)

Cristina Pato, a world-renowned bagpiper, will be featured in Hudson River Performing Arts Center’s (HRPAC) upcoming concert this Wednesday, Feb. 20 in the atrium of the UBS building located at 1000 Harbor Blvd. in Weehawken.

Hailed by the BBC as “the Galician bagpipe diva,” Cristina Pato’s astounding command of the instrument known as the gaita (the Spanish bagpipe) has made her an in-demand musical powerhouse on the world music scene. Renowned for her dramatic performances, Pato fuses elements of Latin, Rock, Pop, Sephardic, and Contemporary music to create a sound and vision that is energetic, flamboyant, and virtuosic.

Over a decade ago, Pato became the first female Gaita player to release a solo album, and has since collaborated with some of the biggest names in world, jazz, classical, and experimental music. She is an integral member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and has performed with The Chieftains and The Royal Pipe Band.

This concert will present Pato’s jazzier side, following, as it does, on the heels of the recent release of her new album, Migrations.

"This album is my personal and musical migration from the path I was supposed to follow and celebrates all the things that helped me to create my own way,” said Pato.

All performances for the UBS Atrium Series begin at 12:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. For directions, late-breaking concert news, and other updates, please check the HRPAC website (www.hrpac.org) or call the concert hotline at 201-716-4540.

The concert is sponsored in part by The Hudson Reporter.

Public library announces 2013 meeting dates

The Weehawken Free Public Library and Multimedia Center announced the dates of its monthly meetings. The meetings are presided over by the library’s Board of Trustees and are open to members of the public. All of the meetings fall on Mondays and take place at 7:30 p.m. The dates are as follows: Feb. 25, March 25, April 15, May 20, June 24, July 22, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, and Dec. 23.

Still time to catch final performance of Union City’s Vagina Monologues Sunday

If you missed the Friday and Saturday performances of The Vagina Monologues at the William V. Musto Cultural Center, you’re in luck! The final performance will be held on Sunday (Feb. 17) at 5 p.m. The cultural center is located at 420 15th St. in Union City.

The world-renowned play consists of colorful performances by an all-female cast, with monologues that address women’s issues. The goal of V-Day Hudson County aligns with the goal of the global V-Day campaign: to bring attention to the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sex slavery.

“This is one of the most critical movements of all generations; past, present and future,” The Vagina Monologues: Hudson County Director Yenexis Quintana said. “This play creates the opportunity for all to listen to and speak about the stigmas surrounding women, their sexuality, and to break out of the silence surrounding rape and abuse. It is a poignant outlet for expression and all emotions surrounding the beauty and strength that is a woman.”

Ticket prices for all performances are $25, or $20 with a student ID. Reserve tickets by contacting Yenexis Quintana at 201-936-3162 or at HCVaginaMono@gmail.com. Tickets will also be available at the door on the day of the performances.

All proceeds will be donated to Women Rising Inc. of Jersey City and the global V-Day campaign.

Bereavement group for widows under 60

A Bereavement Group for Widows under the age of 60 is open for registration. The group, offered by Jewish Family Service of MetroWest New Jersey, will meet on Mondays from 7:30 to 8:30 pm beginning March 4 and will run for eight weeks. The group will offer an opportunity for women who have suffered the loss of a spouse to share their experiences in a safe and confidential environment. It will be facilitated by Anne Mollen, LCSW and co-facilitated by Rabbi Shira Stern, a board certified Jewish Chaplain. The group is funded by a grant from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey and is offered free of charge.

The sessions will be held at Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, 256 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park. For information and to register, contact Ann Mollen at (973) 765-9050, ext. 1721 or amollen@jfsmetrowest.org.